The invention relates to a method for moving at least one carriage over a guide by transport means according to the preamble of claim 1.
The invention also relates to an amusement device comprising at least one carriage which can be moved over a guide according to the preamble of claim 6.
With a method of this kind, which is known per se and which is for example used in an amusement device such as a so-called roller coaster, a boomerang and the like, a carriage is transported over a guide over a predetermined distance, after which the carriage is disconnected from the transport means, and the carriage is moved over the guide in the direction in which the carriage has been transported by the transport means, or in a direction opposite thereto, as a result of the speed it has built up or as a result of the force of gravity. The connection between the transport means and the carriage must be relatively strong, in order to prevent the carriage from being disconnected undesirably. In particular if the guide is disposed at an upward angle, the forces which the carriage exerts on the engaging mechanism will be relatively large. With the known device the disconnecting of the transport means requires relatively much energy, therefore.
The object of the present invention is to provide a method wherein the connecting and disconnecting of the transport means to and from the carriage can take place in a relatively simple manner.
This objective is accomplished with the method according to the invention by moving said engaging mechanism relative with respect to said carriage in a direction opposed to the direction of transport.
By moving the engaging mechanism in a direction opposed to the direction of transport, the forces which the carriage exerts on the engaging mechanism are reduced, so that the engaging mechanism can be disconnected from the carriage with relatively little force.
It has to be noted that from DE-C-104.899 an amusement device is known comprising a carriage which is provided with an engaging mechanism. The engaging mechanism can be connected and disconnected to a transport cable.
Also GB-A-2.109.252 and WO-A-84/00899 disclose such type of amusement devices comprising a carriage which can be displaced over a guide by means of a transport means.
One embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that the engaging mechanism, which is connected to the carriage, is decelerated near a predetermined place, whereby the carriage is moved further in the direction of transport as a result of its own mass inertia, after which the engaging mechanism is disconnected from the carriage.
When the engaging mechanism is being decelerated, the carriage, which will weigh 5-15 tonnes when used in an amusement device, will continue to move at the original speed of the engaging mechanism for a moment, due to the mass inertia. The forces being exerted on the engaging mechanism by the carriage will be reduced thereby, which makes it possible to open the engaging mechanism with relatively little force and to disconnect the carriage.
Another embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that the carriage is connected to a clamping mechanism near an upper end of the guide which is disposed at an angle, after which the engaging mechanism is moved in a direction away from the clamping mechanism and the engaging mechanism is disconnected from the carriage, after which the carriage is disconnected from the clamping mechanism.
By moving the engaging mechanism in a direction away from the clamping mechanism, the forces exerted on the engaging mechanism by the carriage will be reduced, so that the engaging mechanism can be disconnected from the carriage.
Another embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that before the engaging mechanism is connected to the carriage being moved over said guide, said engaging mechanism is moved to an engaging position within an engaging area, which position substantially corresponds with the expected position of the carriage.
A method of this kind is in particular suitable for engaging a carriage moving over the guide at a decreasing speed, whereby the carriage can be transported further in the direction of transport after being connected to the engaging mechanism. In order to have the connection between the engaging mechanism and the carriage together take place in an optimum manner, the expected position of the carriage in an engaging area further down the guide is determined, for example on the basis of the speed of the carriage at a predetermined location. Then the engaging mechanism is moved to said engaging position, and the carriage is connected to the engaging mechanism at this engaging position and subsequently transported further.
Yet another embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that before the engaging mechanism is connected to the carriage being moved over said guide, said engaging mechanism is imparted an engaging speed in the direction of transport within an engaging area, which speed is practically equal to the expected speed of the carriage.
As a result of this, the occurrence of bumps when the engaging mechanism is being connected to the carriage is prevented, since the speed of the engaging mechanism and that of the carriage will be practically equal at the moment of connecting.